Judge’s 34th home run and Soto power show end the Yankees’ dry spell in the series
The New York Yankees secured a decisive series victory with a 6-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, highlighted by robust offense and convincing pitching. The triumph, which followed Friday night’s heated bench-clearing incident, put the Yankees back in first place in the AL East.
The Yankees were on fire early, scoring four runs in the first inning against Orioles starter Grayson Rodriguez. Gleyber Torres gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead with an infield single, and rookie catcher Austin Wells delivered a game-winning three-run homer that set the tone.
In the fifth inning, the Yankees extended their lead when Juan Soto and Aaron Judge hit back-to-back home runs. Soto’s 23rd home run of the season flew 426 feet into center field, while Judge’s 34th home run set a new Yankees record for most home runs before the All-Star break.
Yankees pitcher Luis Gil supported the offense with six strong innings and successfully silenced the Orioles batters.
The game was played in sweltering heat at Camden Yards and a sold-out crowd of 44,018. This victory was the Yankees’ first consecutive win and first series victory in a month, and points to a possible resurgence just before the All-Star break.
Soto emphasized the importance of the Yankees’ series win, calling it a crucial step in recovering from a difficult stretch. He acknowledged the team’s persistent efforts despite its difficulties, expressed satisfaction with the current performance and looked forward to potentially winning the series on Sunday.
“We needed it badly to get back on our feet,” the slugger said. “That’s part of the game. We went out there and tried our best, but things didn’t go the way we wanted. But we’ll keep trying until we find a way. We did a great job today to win the series and try to get the sweep (on Sunday).”
Judge emphasized the importance of the improved ranking before the All-Star break and called it the most gratifying aspect of their recent victories.
The Yankees have been through a rough stretch, winless in eight series since their last series victory against the Royals from June 10-13. During that slump, they posted a 6-17 record and watched their 3½-game lead in the division melt away to a two-game deficit to the Orioles.
However, the last few games have shown a turnaround, with the Yankees winning three of their last four games. Despite Friday’s tense incident involving Clay Holmes and Heston Kjerstad, they remained focused on playing solid baseball.
With their latest win, the Yankees (58-39) could enter the All-Star break in first place, assuming they can complete a sweep of the Orioles (57-38) on Sunday.
Judge praised Wells’ performance, emphasizing how important it was in getting the team an early lead and boosting their confidence, especially after the events of the previous night. Judge emphasized the importance of Wells’ nine-pitch at-bat against Grayson Rodriguez, which ended with a 397-foot home run.
Wells, who will get more playing time due to Jose Trevino’s injury, has been a standout player, posting a .296 batting average and .922 OPS in his last 24 games.
A handshake and a Yankees record
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto were practicing a new handshake in the Yankees clubhouse, and Judge confidently predicted several home run celebrations. Her premonition came true in spectacular fashion, helping the Yankees to their first series victory in a month.
In the fifth inning, Soto and Judge hit back-to-back home runs for the second time this season. Soto’s 23rd home run was a 426-footer to center, while Judge’s 34th was a 431-footer to the batter’s eye. After each home run, both batters practice the same handshake.
“It’s always great to see something like that,” Soto said. “We literally just talked about it this morning. … We talked about our handshake. We tried to imitate it a couple of times today.”
With his hit, Judge entered the record books as he became the first Yankee to hit 34 home runs before the All-Star break, surpassing the previous club record of 33 held jointly by Roger Maris (1961) and Judge himself (2022). With this feat, Judge is tied for the seventh-highest home run count before the All-Star break in MLB history.
Camden Yards remains Judge’s home field, where the hitter now has 42 home runs against the Orioles – his most against one team. The changes to the stadium’s left field have had little effect on him, as evidenced by his 24 home runs in just 55 games there.
Soto and Judge’s back-to-back home runs were the second such incident for the Yankees this season and mirrored their performance on May 24 in San Diego. Their powerful performance not only fulfilled their playmaking prediction from the morning, but also demonstrated the formidable offensive threat they pose as a duo.
“It’s just been fun to watch them do what they do in the batter’s box every night,” said manager Boone. “Both home runs – Juan’s, that bullet line drive to center and then that classic Judgey to the Moon that just doesn’t stop.”
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